The association between telomerase, p53, and clinical staging in colorectal cancer

A proposed etiology of tumor activation involves p53 mutations while telomerase may serve as a key enzyme for maintenance of tumor cell proliferation. Telomerase activity levels were measured in colorectal adenocarcinomas and corresponding normal tissue using a modified telomeric repeat amplification protocol, and p53 mutations were identified using irnmunohistochemical staining. Results were compared with staging data using regression analysis. Telomerase activity was present in 23 of 23 (100%) of the tumors and only 2 (9%) of normal specimens ( P